Disclaimer: See Chapter 22
Ready- Here's it is- Chapter 23!
Two hours later, no less than the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was sitting in Dumbledore's office, along with Okino and Kokiri. They had just explained to Fudge what had happened on the parapet.
The Minister self-consciously rubbed his chin, aware that he didn't even have time to shave before being summoned to the campus. "You put me in an awkward position, Dumbledore. A highly awkward position." "I'm quite aware of that. Still, I must ask for clemency for Snape." "But there are a dozen witnesses to the fact that Snape used the Cruciatus on . this man here." Fudge didn't look at Okino, but gestured vaguely in his general direction. "Those same dozen witnesses saw this man resist the curse," Dumbledore pointed out. "Have you ever known a non-wizard to do that?"
"I'm sure it's, ER, been done. I could, ER, have my office check the official records. But that still doesn't excuse Snape. If anyone's ever earned a cell at Azkaban, surely."
"If I may," Okino spoke up. "What Snape did to me was painful; there's no denying that. But it's over now, and I really feel none the worse for it. I don't know whether the punishment fits the crime." "Very generous of you, I'm sure," Fudge replied, "but the matter of punishment isn't up to you. There are rules about such things, of which you may not be aware, being." The Minister let his sentence trail off into silence.
"Being a Muggle-is that the word you seek?" Kokiri asked Fudge. "Exactly what are the rules under which Professor Snape would be sent to prison-for performing a forbidden spell, or for doing it so poorly?" "Madame, given the, ER, indelicate suggestions made to you, I am surprised that you should suggest anything like clemency for Snape."
"I don't speak of clemency; I speak of justice. I agree with my husband; Snape must not be punished out of proportion to what he has done. And sentencing the man to life in prison, a prison where I understand that terror and torture are a part of daily life." "Such an accusation is baseless and inflammatory! I assure you that we have a proper justice system." "Then let justice be done. I may not be fully aware of your laws, but I am a witch of a proud and ancient bloodline, and I feel that I have the right to ask this of you. I ask that Snape's punishment be no more and no less than he deserves." "But what about deterrence? These curses are forbidden, and punishable by imprisonment in Azkaban, in order to stop people using them." "Then your deterrence doesn't work very well, does it?" Okino asked. "I'm sure Snape knew exactly what awaited him if he used the forbidden curses, and he used them anyway."
"Look here, are you preparing the man's defense? How can you presume to tell us how to handle our affairs?" "We are the aggrieved parties here, are we not?" Okino asked. "Our testimony is necessary for any kind of trial." "And after the ordeal we've just been through," Kokiri smiled, picking up on her husband's thought, "our family might want to take an extended vacation. We could be unable to come forward for six months, at the very least." Fudge was seething. Without their testimony, a quick and quiet trial for Snape would be almost impossible, and publicity was the last thing the Ministry wanted. After a minute, he grumbled, "I assume that you have a counterproposal."
"As a matter of fact, we do," Okino said. "Perhaps the school's own disciplinary procedures can best decide how to handle Snape." Dumbledore stroked his beard. "It would be the best way to keep things from getting out of hand."
The Minister rose. "Things are already out of hand, when the Ministry can be dictated to by a schoolmaster. You put them up to this, didn't you?" "Absolutely not."
"I have to get to Hogsmeade; bloody inconvenient that one can't Apparate on the grounds here. I'll expect a full report at the first opportunity." Fudge strode out of the room without even acknowledging Okino and Kokiri.
No sooner had he left the room, though, than a witch rushed in it: Phyllida Sprout.
"Sorry to have left you all in the lurch, but I hope I never have another month like the last one. My poor niece having fainting spells, plus stomach cramps all the time, and nothing I could suggest seemed to work at all. Took me and the local witch a week to get her stable, and no sooner do we get that done than labor starts. Well, that lasted another week, but she ends up bringing a new witch into the world. Her name is Sol Bianca Whifflebridge. I have no idea where that name came from; the new mother said it was in honor of the Spanish weather. But she and the father couldn't be happier, and I guess that's all that matters." Professor Sprout finally stopped to take a breath, then looked at Dumbledore and his guests. "Have I missed anything interesting?"
***
Lol, good ol' Professor Sprout. R/R.
Ready- Here's it is- Chapter 23!
Two hours later, no less than the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was sitting in Dumbledore's office, along with Okino and Kokiri. They had just explained to Fudge what had happened on the parapet.
The Minister self-consciously rubbed his chin, aware that he didn't even have time to shave before being summoned to the campus. "You put me in an awkward position, Dumbledore. A highly awkward position." "I'm quite aware of that. Still, I must ask for clemency for Snape." "But there are a dozen witnesses to the fact that Snape used the Cruciatus on . this man here." Fudge didn't look at Okino, but gestured vaguely in his general direction. "Those same dozen witnesses saw this man resist the curse," Dumbledore pointed out. "Have you ever known a non-wizard to do that?"
"I'm sure it's, ER, been done. I could, ER, have my office check the official records. But that still doesn't excuse Snape. If anyone's ever earned a cell at Azkaban, surely."
"If I may," Okino spoke up. "What Snape did to me was painful; there's no denying that. But it's over now, and I really feel none the worse for it. I don't know whether the punishment fits the crime." "Very generous of you, I'm sure," Fudge replied, "but the matter of punishment isn't up to you. There are rules about such things, of which you may not be aware, being." The Minister let his sentence trail off into silence.
"Being a Muggle-is that the word you seek?" Kokiri asked Fudge. "Exactly what are the rules under which Professor Snape would be sent to prison-for performing a forbidden spell, or for doing it so poorly?" "Madame, given the, ER, indelicate suggestions made to you, I am surprised that you should suggest anything like clemency for Snape."
"I don't speak of clemency; I speak of justice. I agree with my husband; Snape must not be punished out of proportion to what he has done. And sentencing the man to life in prison, a prison where I understand that terror and torture are a part of daily life." "Such an accusation is baseless and inflammatory! I assure you that we have a proper justice system." "Then let justice be done. I may not be fully aware of your laws, but I am a witch of a proud and ancient bloodline, and I feel that I have the right to ask this of you. I ask that Snape's punishment be no more and no less than he deserves." "But what about deterrence? These curses are forbidden, and punishable by imprisonment in Azkaban, in order to stop people using them." "Then your deterrence doesn't work very well, does it?" Okino asked. "I'm sure Snape knew exactly what awaited him if he used the forbidden curses, and he used them anyway."
"Look here, are you preparing the man's defense? How can you presume to tell us how to handle our affairs?" "We are the aggrieved parties here, are we not?" Okino asked. "Our testimony is necessary for any kind of trial." "And after the ordeal we've just been through," Kokiri smiled, picking up on her husband's thought, "our family might want to take an extended vacation. We could be unable to come forward for six months, at the very least." Fudge was seething. Without their testimony, a quick and quiet trial for Snape would be almost impossible, and publicity was the last thing the Ministry wanted. After a minute, he grumbled, "I assume that you have a counterproposal."
"As a matter of fact, we do," Okino said. "Perhaps the school's own disciplinary procedures can best decide how to handle Snape." Dumbledore stroked his beard. "It would be the best way to keep things from getting out of hand."
The Minister rose. "Things are already out of hand, when the Ministry can be dictated to by a schoolmaster. You put them up to this, didn't you?" "Absolutely not."
"I have to get to Hogsmeade; bloody inconvenient that one can't Apparate on the grounds here. I'll expect a full report at the first opportunity." Fudge strode out of the room without even acknowledging Okino and Kokiri.
No sooner had he left the room, though, than a witch rushed in it: Phyllida Sprout.
"Sorry to have left you all in the lurch, but I hope I never have another month like the last one. My poor niece having fainting spells, plus stomach cramps all the time, and nothing I could suggest seemed to work at all. Took me and the local witch a week to get her stable, and no sooner do we get that done than labor starts. Well, that lasted another week, but she ends up bringing a new witch into the world. Her name is Sol Bianca Whifflebridge. I have no idea where that name came from; the new mother said it was in honor of the Spanish weather. But she and the father couldn't be happier, and I guess that's all that matters." Professor Sprout finally stopped to take a breath, then looked at Dumbledore and his guests. "Have I missed anything interesting?"
***
Lol, good ol' Professor Sprout. R/R.